THE 2005 ELECTIONS: CITY COUNCIL; And Now, the Scrambling For the Speaker's Chair

By WINNIE HU

Published: November 10, 2005

The conclusion of the mayoral race has set the stage for a contest over the next most powerful job in city government, the speaker of the City Council, a role that takes on even more importance now as the Bloomberg administration claims an electoral mandate.

The seven candidates vying to replace Gifford Miller, the current speaker, have been lobbying their colleagues, raising money to dole out to supporters, and courting influential unions and county political parties with promises of patronage and legislation to extend term limits for council members, among other things. Mr. Miller, who failed in his mayoral bid, will be forced by term limits to step down next month.

The new speaker will not only serve as a check on Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, but also set the legislative agenda for the city and help shape its $50.2 billion budget.

Although the speaker will not be elected until Jan. 4, when the council members will decide by majority vote, the members will be making their decisions over the next few weeks. In 2001, the field was whittled down to Mr. Miller after the Queens and Bronx members came together to support him.

''It's like the playoffs,'' said Councilman Eric Gioia, of Queens. ''We're down to the final seven, and now we're waiting for the World Series.''

Three leaders have already emerged, according to council members and lobbyists, though there are neither political polls nor press conferences to trumpet endorsements to give a sign of a candidate's strength. Instead, the speaker's race plays out in knowing looks, private meetings and secret deals.

The favorites are Christine C. Quinn, of Manhattan, who is close to Mr. Miller and well-liked by her colleagues; Bill de Blasio, of Brooklyn, the former campaign manager for United States Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton with ties to 1199/S.E.I.U., the politically powerful health-care workers' union; and Leroy G. Comrie Jr., of Queens, the majority whip, who is black and has alliances with many black and Hispanic council members.

The others in the running are David I. Weprin and Melinda R. Katz, both of Queens, who preside over the Finance and Land Use Committees, respectively; Lewis A. Fidler, of Brooklyn, who is close to Assemblyman Vito J. Lopez, the new Brooklyn Democratic leader; and Joel Rivera, of the Bronx, whose father, Jose, is the Bronx Democratic leader.

The candidates themselves say that it is too early to rule out anyone because votes can be changed and alliances struck at the last minute. An oft-repeated joke at City Hall is that if all the votes in the 51-member Council were counted, they would total 100 or more.

''This kind of thing is never decided until it's decided,'' said Mr. Comrie, who declined to say how many members support him. ''I'm not going to get into a numbers game. You could be up today and down tomorrow.''

If history is any indication, the outcome of the speaker's race may hinge on the Queens Democratic organization, which can deliver the votes of 14 council members, or just over half the votes needed to win. In contrast, the Brooklyn and Manhattan delegations tend to split their votes among candidates.

By aligning with the Bronx to support Mr. Miller, Queens Democratic leaders ensured that their members would be tapped to lead the most powerful committees, Finance and Land Use, among other perks. The Bronx was not forgotten, either: Mr. Rivera was named the majority leader, a position second only to the speaker.

This year, the candidates for speaker have lost no time in seeking out the support of Thomas J. Manton, the chairman of the Queens Democratic Party. Even though three of the candidates are from Queens, several council members say that the Queens party leaders would have to give up control of the major committees to advance one of their own.

''There are so many factors here, and the biggest one is what makes Queens comfortable,'' said George Arzt, a longtime political consultant who has closely watched the jockeying. ''And Queens is keeping it close to their chest.''

The speaker's race may also be influenced by growing opposition among council members and Democratic leaders to the current term limits. Elected officials are prohibited from serving more than two consecutive terms, under a measure approved by the city's voters in a 1993 referendum and reaffirmed three years later.

Several council members said Democratic leaders have made it known that they favor legislation to permit a third term for the Council, something that the political parties have denied. Michael H. Reich, executive secretary of the Queens party, said the county Democratic leaders ''will not interfere in it one way or another.''

But Queens Councilman Tony Avella, who supports term limits, said that Queens Democrats had even brought up the issue with him in casual conversation. ''They've been floating the idea,'' he said. ''My reaction is, 'Nope, not doing it.' ''

Dick Dadey, executive director of Citizens Union, a good-government group, said the next speaker could expect to feel pressure from many other council members to increase the number of terms allowed, particularly those entering their second term who would directly benefit. ''Everyone's playing chicken, but it's the worst-kept secret,'' Mr. Dadey said. ''It seems that a lot of members want to see it happen.''

Increasingly, the calculations of the speaker's race have also factored in the unions, particularly 1199, which has mobilized its members and vast resources to become a force in gubernatorial and mayoral races and, in recent years, Council races as well. The union is close to Mr. de Blasio and Ms. Quinn, though it has so far declined to choose between them. It backed Mr. Miller in 2001.

''We have not taken a position in this race primarily because there are so many well-qualified candidates, many of whom are longtime friends of the union,'' said Jennifer Cunningham, an executive vice president of 1199.

As the speaker's race intensifies, many council members say they are trying to keep their options open as long as possible.

''It should be about policies, principles and budget priorities, but that's the last thing on the list,'' said Councilman Charles Barron, of Brooklyn. ''It's really about what can I get from the speaker, personally.''